Didn't go out much because of predicted afternoon t-storms, which came through. This story shows the fireworks from the park across the street. I walked over at the last minute.
I like to measure the political barometer by the supplemental flags (to accompany the US flag) that are hung during the 4th of July at and on the way to the lake because it's deep red territory. 2019 was Trump and Gadsden flags. 2020 was Trump 2020 election flags - tons of them. 2021 was Blue Lives matter flags replacing some of the Trump 2020 flags, but the Trump flags were still very common. The volume of political flags was down in 2021. This year - only a single Let's Go Brandon flag on a boat and that dude in overalls who always hangs a confederate flag in the window of his condemned single-wide. Now it's either no supplemental flag or a flag from the alma mater. This is only anecdotal, but it gives me hope that people's support of the GOP circus is tiring.
Fun! and sad - went to various buildings I built, first had 40 super friendly tenants partying hung out a while - second had nobody! Opened some wine, brought up some glasses to the roof deck, knocked on a door, but he was only drinking Bourbon!
The linked article indicates that SDSU signalled it's "intent to resign". Intent is not a formal resignation. And that's what SDSU will hang its legal hat on, I would imagine.
Call it for what it is - MWC is trying to extort money out of SDSU.
I wonder if they got some sort of wink wink nod nod, or some other indication from the Pac-12 but it never happened. But that would still be stupid on their part.
"All England Lawn Tennis Club Chief Executive Sally Bolton stated that they would ensure to use the rooms the right way and not for obscene purposes. "
Fenway is an amazing place. Definitely top 3 (Wrigley, Dodger Stadium in no particular order, with Petco a close 4th). Rain was coming and a thunderstorm watch. No 2 had a 7:30 flight so we were worried that the game might be delayed. Turns out rain started falling around the 3rd. It was not super heavy until around the 8th. We did get some alerts on our phones for people to evacuate but it was for the waterfront for the fireworks. In the B8 they had a rain delay so we took off.
We had seats in the 3rd row of the grandstand which is the lower level rear section under the overhang. Everything is cozy. All the seats are smaller than your average new ballpark. Had one hard hit ball smack the green monster about 3/4 of the way up.
All in all, an amazing experience.
We had stubhub issues but they ended up giving us a refund and we found similar seats but saved about $60.
It’s delightful…old time field, yet modern amenities…picturesque setting on the water near the Confluence…close walk to downtown. Just an unexpected diamond.
JP Sears turned in an impressive performance and the Oakland Athletics outlasted the Detroit Tigers for a 1-0 win in 10 innings.
JP Sears’ evening almost got off to a disastrous start as Matt Vierling lined a single back through the box that nearly got him to lead off the game. Vierling stole second, but Sears retired Spencer Torkelson and Andy Ibanez on pop outs and then struck to Javier Baez on three pitches to end the inning.
While the bats have predictably cooled, the real concern is the pitching staff, which in no way resembles that of a contender, save for Webb and Camilo.
The Dodgers looked set for a great win in one of the best back-and-forth affairs of the season. But working in his third straight night, Evan Phillips wasn’t able to get the save, and instead, allowed three ninth-inning runs in a 9-7 loss to the Pirates.
The Dodgers' offense was down by multiple runs before it took its first at-bat, but held up its end of the bargain, scoring seven runs and taking three separate leads.
Dodgers bullpen has been overworked the last month+. With all their injuries and struggling starters only going 3-5, the bullpen is bad. When they get rest and the starters go 6, they're much better.
Donald Trump doxxes the Obamas on his Truth Network. A guy who had participated in the Jan 6 insurgency wrote back “We got these losers surrounded! See you in hell, Podesta’s and Obama’s". He then drove the van he lived in across country from the State of Washington to find Obama. He had a bunch of ammo and two guns, plus threatened to blow up a government facility in Gaithersburg, MD. He was arrested in Obama's neighborhood by Secret Service.
Lin Wood - former Trump lawyer and member of the so-called "Kraken" - chose to permanently and irrevocably retire from practicing law in the United States. Sucks to be you, citizen Wood
Finished Deutschland 83 a few days ago, very good, well written, well acted - I would recommend it. Started Deutschland 86 last night - it was nowhere near as good, seemed cheaper visually and much less well written - bizarre.
And the Lord spake, saying, “First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out.
Once the number three, being the third number be reached, then lobbest thou the holy hand grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in thy sight, shall snuff it.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny…film # FIVE in the trilogy. Worth a viewing for Indy fans, like myself.
So I went Friday, with reservations, for nostalgic reasons. Unlike the last installment, Crystal Skull, it is not a horrible film, placing 4th of the 5 IMO, though some fans may even list it 3rd, ahead of Temple of Doom.
Here’s my issue: it takes a turn that is so outlandish, I actually muttered “oh, this is f-ing stupid”, loud enough to earn a chuckle from the dude 2 seats down.
And here’s the thing: when a Marvel movie features a sequence or scene that’s so outlandishly fantastical, I usually get a kick out if it…after all, it’s a superhero movie and we’ve signed up for that type of fantasy so it works. But Indy is rooted in history and academia…Raiders and Crusade, while fantasy that required some suspension of disbelief, were nonetheless rooted in Biblical history (Ark, Grail) which made it easier to get behind. The past two, however, especially Dial of Destiny, feature plot turns that are just a little too difficult to truly support, and as such, the franchise comes to a somewhat merciful end…at least until they re-make Raiders of the Lost Ark in 2036.
Indiana Jones as a franchise would be a lot better served chasing after an established mythical artifact like Excalibur, the Philosopher's Stone, or if they're feeling risky, Sun Wukong's staff. It's not only less contrived, it allows the plot to echo the appropriate hero's journey.
Bang
where is Chitty Chitty?!?
ABC News with Pulitzer Prize worthy reporting
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/uk-canada-sweden-ukraine-launch-case-iran-top-100701959
Beer no longer has leading market share for alcohol sales in America having been surpassed by spirits in 2022.
https://slate.com/business/2023/07/beer-sales-decline-explained-hard-seltzer-craft-beer.html
Lately, I've really enjoyed pineapple juice + rum. Quick, easy, and brings back memories of day-time buzzes in the Caribbean.
Malibu and Dr Pepper doesnt suck
Lately meaning multiple times this morning?
https://media3.giphy.com/media/yj5oYHjoIwv28/giphy.gif
Man's mother: "My missing son has returned home after being missing for 8 years"
Neighbors, friends, and others: "Uh no, he wasn't missing."
https://abc7.com/houston-man-missing-rudy-farias-found-texas-news-for-eight-years/13461967/
this is bizarre
Yes, yes it is.
Makes me wonder if there's a scam or grift involved.
sounds a bit like mom just wasn't paying attention to what was going on in and around her house.
That I can understand. But for 8 years?
Your 4th of July experience
Didn't go out much because of predicted afternoon t-storms, which came through. This story shows the fireworks from the park across the street. I walked over at the last minute.
https://www.arlnow.com/2023/07/05/photos-fourth-of-july-2023-fireworks-and-fun/
Awesome…up in the cabin near the Lair…absolutely NO fireworks, much to Jonesy’s delight.
I like to measure the political barometer by the supplemental flags (to accompany the US flag) that are hung during the 4th of July at and on the way to the lake because it's deep red territory. 2019 was Trump and Gadsden flags. 2020 was Trump 2020 election flags - tons of them. 2021 was Blue Lives matter flags replacing some of the Trump 2020 flags, but the Trump flags were still very common. The volume of political flags was down in 2021. This year - only a single Let's Go Brandon flag on a boat and that dude in overalls who always hangs a confederate flag in the window of his condemned single-wide. Now it's either no supplemental flag or a flag from the alma mater. This is only anecdotal, but it gives me hope that people's support of the GOP circus is tiring.
Fun! and sad - went to various buildings I built, first had 40 super friendly tenants partying hung out a while - second had nobody! Opened some wine, brought up some glasses to the roof deck, knocked on a door, but he was only drinking Bourbon!
OTHER COLLEGE
New Conference, new asymmetrical look
https://twitter.com/nates_dunn/status/1674931052199170048?
What a mess
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/story/2023-07-03/san-diego-state-sdsu-aztecs-mountain-west-conference-pac-12-exit-letters-6-6-million-distribution
really dumb move on SDSUs part to announce they are leaving then hope something works out.
Good for Glo, making a statement in her first major move as MWC commissioner.
You give notice of intent to resign, you’re paying the full exit fee - probably won’t get it, but playing hardball.
Did they, though?
The linked article indicates that SDSU signalled it's "intent to resign". Intent is not a formal resignation. And that's what SDSU will hang its legal hat on, I would imagine.
Call it for what it is - MWC is trying to extort money out of SDSU.
I wonder if they got some sort of wink wink nod nod, or some other indication from the Pac-12 but it never happened. But that would still be stupid on their part.
PRO
Sunday's game of Detroit @ Colorado. Carpenter's hit loads the bases at the top of the 1st. Struggling #5 hitter Javier Baez comes to the plate...
https://twitter.com/TigersJUK/status/1675889042162851841
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrXQaCTljb8&ab_channel=RTGraysun
Dodgers' Dustin May out for season
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/37960827/dodgers-dustin-needs-elbow-surgery-again
Low-A MiLB has a challenge rule. I like it.
https://twitter.com/BronxBmbrz/status/1675617553362694145
Took about two seconds for the correction.
Joey Chestnut wins his 16th Coney Island hot dog eating contest, bagging a $10k prize for downing 62 dogs in 10 minutes - 14 fewer than last year.
https://sports.yahoo.com/joey-chestnut-wins-16th-nathans-famous-hot-dog-eating-contest-after-2-hour-weather-delay-190303905.html
WaPo does an amazing article on hot dog eating contests
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/01/hot-dog-eating-contest-competitive-eater/
Is he GOAT of all sports?
I watched it as I do most years. Not terribly exciting. Best stat, though, is that in 10 minutes, he ingested approximately 17,000 calories. Yeesh!
Is a competitive eater an athlete? Twitter is calling Chestnut one of the most dominant athletes of all-time…..
You and I think alike my friend. I was debating friends yesterday that Chestnut is the GOAT of all sports.
Ian Happ sends a message to not tag up on him
https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1676373393698856963
Good thing, because he’s literally one of the most useless heart-of-the-lineup hitters in baseball.
Magic make Bol Bol disappear
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/37960319/bol-bol-hit-waivers-being-waived-orlando-magic
Wimbledon officials say that the sex rooms can also be used for prayer
https://www.freepressjournal.in/sports/wimbledon-2023-officials-warn-fans-against-using-quiet-rooms-for-having-sex
And then there's this sentence in the article -
"All England Lawn Tennis Club Chief Executive Sally Bolton stated that they would ensure to use the rooms the right way and not for obscene purposes. "
I didn't realize that sex is necessarily obscene.
But they're calling out to God.
An optimist would say that this is a step forward in pro sports gender equality
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-66094187
How exciting was the Mets D-backs game?
https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1676338506699005952
Bandbox. I don’t think they were using balls from the humidor.
@HAG .. no report from Fenway?
Fenway is an amazing place. Definitely top 3 (Wrigley, Dodger Stadium in no particular order, with Petco a close 4th). Rain was coming and a thunderstorm watch. No 2 had a 7:30 flight so we were worried that the game might be delayed. Turns out rain started falling around the 3rd. It was not super heavy until around the 8th. We did get some alerts on our phones for people to evacuate but it was for the waterfront for the fireworks. In the B8 they had a rain delay so we took off.
We had seats in the 3rd row of the grandstand which is the lower level rear section under the overhang. Everything is cozy. All the seats are smaller than your average new ballpark. Had one hard hit ball smack the green monster about 3/4 of the way up.
All in all, an amazing experience.
We had stubhub issues but they ended up giving us a refund and we found similar seats but saved about $60.
Fenway in late summer is great. Fenway in early summer is a chance of perhaps freeze your balls off.
I'm down to 2 ballparks that I really want to see. PNC and Camden.
PNC should replace Petco in your top-5.
Mine is: Fenway, Wrigley, PNC, Pac Bell, Old Tiger.
Once I get to PNC it might.
It’s delightful…old time field, yet modern amenities…picturesque setting on the water near the Confluence…close walk to downtown. Just an unexpected diamond.
At this point, Camden is classic.
Modern day classic.
It's the origin for all new ballparks.
JP Sears dazzles as A’s clip Tigers 1-0 in 10 innings
https://www.athleticsnation.com/2023/7/4/23783922/athletics-vs-tigers-final-score
JP Sears turned in an impressive performance and the Oakland Athletics outlasted the Detroit Tigers for a 1-0 win in 10 innings.
JP Sears’ evening almost got off to a disastrous start as Matt Vierling lined a single back through the box that nearly got him to lead off the game. Vierling stole second, but Sears retired Spencer Torkelson and Andy Ibanez on pop outs and then struck to Javier Baez on three pitches to end the inning.
WE CAN STILL WIN A HUNDY
Gotta get hot.
YES!!!
Giants get shutout by the Mariners, 6-0.
While the bats have predictably cooled, the real concern is the pitching staff, which in no way resembles that of a contender, save for Webb and Camilo.
Pirates get the last laugh, beat Dodgers in back-and-forth game
https://www.truebluela.com/2023/7/4/23784057/dodgers-pitching-scramble-evan-phillips-james-outman-jonny-deluca-pirates
The Dodgers looked set for a great win in one of the best back-and-forth affairs of the season. But working in his third straight night, Evan Phillips wasn’t able to get the save, and instead, allowed three ninth-inning runs in a 9-7 loss to the Pirates.
The Dodgers' offense was down by multiple runs before it took its first at-bat, but held up its end of the bargain, scoring seven runs and taking three separate leads.
Phillips going for the 3rd straight was an issue because he so rarely does it.
The new baseball model of treating pitchers with kid gloves bites again.
Dodgers bullpen has been overworked the last month+. With all their injuries and struggling starters only going 3-5, the bullpen is bad. When they get rest and the starters go 6, they're much better.
OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY
Donald Trump doxxes the Obamas on his Truth Network. A guy who had participated in the Jan 6 insurgency wrote back “We got these losers surrounded! See you in hell, Podesta’s and Obama’s". He then drove the van he lived in across country from the State of Washington to find Obama. He had a bunch of ammo and two guns, plus threatened to blow up a government facility in Gaithersburg, MD. He was arrested in Obama's neighborhood by Secret Service.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/taylor-taranto-obama-home-january-6-threatened-blow-up-government-building-feds/
Lin Wood - former Trump lawyer and member of the so-called "Kraken" - chose to permanently and irrevocably retire from practicing law in the United States. Sucks to be you, citizen Wood
https://www.newsweek.com/lin-wood-trump-attorney-retires-never-practice-law-again-1811047
Josh Hawley (R-MO, BA History '02 Stanfurd) uses fake Founding Father quote
https://twitter.com/HawleyMO/status/1676346577571524610
CAL
Go Bears!!!
DBD AV CLUB
Finished Deutschland 83 a few days ago, very good, well written, well acted - I would recommend it. Started Deutschland 86 last night - it was nowhere near as good, seemed cheaper visually and much less well written - bizarre.
86 is not as good as 83, but I did like 89 a lot, so would say it’s worth it to stick it out
FIVE is right out.
And the Lord spake, saying, “First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out.
Once the number three, being the third number be reached, then lobbest thou the holy hand grenade of Antioch towards thy foe, who, being naughty in thy sight, shall snuff it.
Great movie!
It's like those miserable Psalms, they're so depressing. Now knock it off.
Finished FUBAR yesterday. It's enjoyable. Classic Arnold one liners. Some good action. Can't wait to watch season 2. 14/18 (Netflix).
That's it, and that's all.
I got three eps in and gave up.
What didn't you like about it? I just want to be entertained and not think about it too much so it satisfied those two requirements.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny…film # FIVE in the trilogy. Worth a viewing for Indy fans, like myself.
So I went Friday, with reservations, for nostalgic reasons. Unlike the last installment, Crystal Skull, it is not a horrible film, placing 4th of the 5 IMO, though some fans may even list it 3rd, ahead of Temple of Doom.
Here’s my issue: it takes a turn that is so outlandish, I actually muttered “oh, this is f-ing stupid”, loud enough to earn a chuckle from the dude 2 seats down.
And here’s the thing: when a Marvel movie features a sequence or scene that’s so outlandishly fantastical, I usually get a kick out if it…after all, it’s a superhero movie and we’ve signed up for that type of fantasy so it works. But Indy is rooted in history and academia…Raiders and Crusade, while fantasy that required some suspension of disbelief, were nonetheless rooted in Biblical history (Ark, Grail) which made it easier to get behind. The past two, however, especially Dial of Destiny, feature plot turns that are just a little too difficult to truly support, and as such, the franchise comes to a somewhat merciful end…at least until they re-make Raiders of the Lost Ark in 2036.
Indiana Jones as a franchise would be a lot better served chasing after an established mythical artifact like Excalibur, the Philosopher's Stone, or if they're feeling risky, Sun Wukong's staff. It's not only less contrived, it allows the plot to echo the appropriate hero's journey.
FIVE
Jackson
The guy who has #5 jersey is Sam Jackson the FIFTH.
https://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/sam-jackson-v/22457
, Johnny
Status: Alive
Joseph Yoshinobu Takagi (BS in Business Administration, Cal ‘59), was a father of 5.
Unfortunately, Joe also has/had a JD from Stanfurd ('62)
And an MBA from Harvard, may he rest in peace.